According to a recent CNBC survey, Georgia came out on top of all other US states for the way business is conducted there.

The survey looks at ten key aspects of conducting business, giving a different number of points to each, according to the importance that particular aspect has for business. The CNBC Top States study uses more than 50 metrics in the ten key categories of competitiveness. The categories are weighted according to how frequently they appear as selling points in marketing literature distributed by the economic development offices of each state. This is how the survey holds the states to their own set of standards. For 2014 the following categories were evaluated, with maximum points which can be earned in each:

o    Cost of Doing Business (450 points)
o    Economy (375 points)
o    Infrastructure (350 points)
o    Workforce (300 points)
o    Quality of Life (300 points)
o    Technology & Innovation (300 points)
o    Business Friendliness (200 points)
o    Education (150 points)
o    Cost of Living (50 points)
o    Access to Capital (25 points)

Georgia finished first with 1659 points out of a maximum of 2500. In second place was Texas with 1641 points. Utah, Nebraska and North Carolina were 3rd, 4th, and 5th.

The five worst states for business were Connecticut, which ranked 46th, Alaska, which came in 47th overall; West Virginia, Hawaii, and Rhode Island coming in at the bottom of the barrel. CNBC has never rated the Ocean State higher than 48th. It is a state with high taxes, high unemployment, and high utility costs. Rhode Island is working on making some changes. They have passed over 25 business reform legislation to ease up on heavy regulations and attract more jobs. These reforms are part of a four-year plan, which Rhode Island officials say was motivated by the CNBC past surveys.